Photos by Doug Mullin

Minister of Celtic Affairs

I am writing regarding the creation of the cabinet position of Minister of Celtic Affairs. I applaud its creation. I critique the government which has created it. This government has played a shell and bean game to distract the people of New Brunswick. This position seems to be more of the same. However, I do still believe promoting Celtic heritage is long overdue.

Celtic cultural identity has been erased since the beginning of the province. The Irish came to New Brunswick as part of the Loyalist movement, but the official history I can find talks about the Irish coming to Miramichi beginning in 1815. My family roots in North Esk parish date to 1783, and is Irish, via the Loyalist movement.

Having begun to understand my historical and genealogical roots, it makes sense to me to be promoting and protecting the Acadian and aboriginal cultural rights, because of what my cultural loss represents.

I would love for a Ministry of Multiculturalism with a mandate to promote multicultural diversity and inclusiveness. Ultimately, I see the multicultural nature of New Brunswick being part of the province since its founding. Culturally, I do not identify as an Anglophone, even though the government defines me statistically as such. It lumps and erases identity. And then is used to foster politics of division, pitting anglophones against francophones. This has been the way for thirty years, while the government has silently, sometimes baldfacedly, given our province away to corporate interests. This needs to stop.

We need to be celebrating the Acadian, Celtic, Aboriginal, Filipino, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Korean (and this list is not inclusive of all) contributions to our province.

And giving a cabinet post to an MLA who has ignored her constituents at four town hall meetings is not the best way to engender trust in government. So while I celebrate the creation of the post, it does miss the mark of inspiring the people of New Brunswick to a better and more inclusive New Brunswick.

(This post started as a Facebook comment, on a post I originated sharing a CBC link talking about the criticism of the creation of the post.)

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One Response to Minister of Celtic Affairs

And I should point out there is a vibrant promotion of Celtic culture, through various Irish and Scottish organizations/festivals in the province. So all is not lost, which was not my intention to claim.